Macalintal lashes at ‘no RFID, no entry’ scheme at Skyway

MANILA, Philippines — The plan of Skyway Corporation to ban non-radio-frequency identification (RFID) vehicles from using the Skyway’s Doña Soledad (Bicutan) and Dr. A. Santos (Sucat) exits is not only “uncalled for” but “smacks of the company’s lack of concern to motorists” and a “violation of its obligations” with its authority to operate its toll facilities, lawyer Romulo Macalintal said Tuesday.

“For sure, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) did not intend to discriminate against non-RFID toll users when the TRB granted said authority to Skyways to operate said toll facilities,” Macalintal, an advocate of senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs) said in a statement.

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If the plan pushes through, he said the Skyway should then extend a 20 percent discount to senior citizens and PWDs riding or operating vehicles registered in their names with RFID stickers.

“It has been a long time that SCs (senior citizens) and PWDs have been deprived of their rights to get discounts from these toll facilities,” Macalintal lamented.

“If SCs and PWDs are entitled to discounts as passengers, there is no justification why they cannot be extended the same discount while operating or riding on their own vehicles with RFID stickers,” he added.

The TRB, which regulates toll facilities, has said the proposed plan was far from final. /muf

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